25.12.

1909: The Father of the Legendary American Corvette was of Russian Origin

Story Highlights

Historical event

25 December 1909

In Chevrolet, they were impressed by Zora Arkus-Duntov’s writings and decided to hire him as an engineer.

A famous automotive engineer of an unusual name – Zora Arkus-Duntov – was born on this day. Originally he was a Russian Jew and lived as a child in Leningrad, but moved to the United States after World War II.

In 1953 he got a job at Chevrolet, the famous automobile company in Detroit. Some time later, he sent a letter to the chief engineer of the company in which he presented his analytical methods of calculating the maximum speed of the car. In Chevrolet, they were impressed by his writings and decided to hire him as an engineer.

Zora Arkus-Duntov worked on the development of the famous Chevrolet Corvette model. It was a sporty model designed for a wider market, especially the younger generation. Arkus-Duntov helped introduce a powerful V8 engine that made Corvette a fast car with impressive performance. In the coming decades, the Corvette became so popular that it acquired the status of an American legend. Zora Arkus-Duntov thus earned the nickname “Father of the Corvette.”